Piriaka Lookout, Wanganui river, New Zealand - “The Happiness of Heaven”

But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”

1 Corinthians 2:19

Bay of Plenty, Mount Maunganui, New Zealand - "Abundant Life"

 The thief comes only 

to steal and kill and destroy. 

I came that they may have life 

and have it abundantly.

John 10:10

Matamata New Zealand - Peace of Mind and Heart

 

" I am leaving you with a gift--peace of mind and heart.  And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give.  So don't be troubled or afraid."

John 14:27

Matamata, New Zealand - Sorrow turned into Joy

 

Most assuredly, I say to you that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; and you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy.

John 16:20

Mangaotaki Rocks, New Zealand

 Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

Psalm 61:2-3

Lake Taupe, New Zealand - In The Beginning

Iin the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.  Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

Genesis 1:1-2

Lake Taupo - Gateway to Tongariro National Park and Rotorua

 

Bay of Plenty, Mount Maunganui, New Zealand,

 

Ask, Seek, Knock - Matamata, New Zealand

 

Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.  Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone?  Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake?  If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him?  So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.

Matthew 7:7-12

Hobbiton in Matamata

 Memories of visiting the Hobbiton movie set in New Zealand.  

Joy In The Present

 

Do not say, "Why were the old days better than these?"  For it is not wise to ask such questions.

Ecclesiastes 7:10 NIV 

"This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it."  

Psalms 118:24 NRSV 

A Tether of Love

Jesus said, "I am the good shepherd, I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father."

John 10:14-15 NRSV

Thought for the Day:  Even when I choose my own way, God still loves me.
The Upper Room - July 1

For the moon never beams, without bringing me dreams

 

Annabel Lee

by Edgar Allan Poe

It was many and many a year ago,

In a kingdom by the sea,

That a maiden there lived whom you may know

By the name of Annabel Lee;

And this  maiden she lived with no other thought

Than to love and be loved by me.

I was a child and she was a child,

In this kingdom by the sea,

But we loved with a love that was more than love--

I and my Annabel Lee--

With a love that the winged seraphs of Heaven

Coveted her and me.

And this was the reason that, long ago,

In this kingdom by the sea,

A wind blew out of a cloud, chilling

My beautiful Annabel Lee;

So that her highborn kinsmen came

And bore her away from me,

To shut her up in a sepulchre

In this kingdom by the sea.

The angels, not half so happy in Heaven,

Went envying her and me--

Yes!--that was the reason (as all men know,

In this kingdom by the sea)

That the wind came out of the cloud by night,

Chilling and killing my Annabel Lee.

But our love it was stronger by far than the love

Of those who were older than we--

Of many far wiser than we--

And neither the angels in Heaven above

Nor the demons down under the sea

Can ever dissever my soul from the soul

Of the beautiful Annabel Lee.

For the moon never beams, without bringing me dreams

Of the beautiful Annabel Lee;

And the stars never rise, but I feel the bright eyes

Of the beautiful Annabel Lee'

And so, all the night-tide, I lie down by the side

Of my darling--my darling--my life and my bride.

In her sepulchre there by the sea--

In her tomb by the sounding sea.

Dedicated to my daughter

Crystal Michelle Fallin

June 19, 1984 - August 18, 2019

The World can Create Trouble

 

"The World can create trouble in peace, but God can create peace in trouble."

~Thomas Watson

A Refuge for the Oppressed

 

The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, 

a stronghold in times of trouble.
Those who know your name trust in you,
for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you.

Psalms 9:9-10

Opunake Surf Shades of Blue

The coast line of Opunake is vastly different from the white sandy beaches of Florida.  Rocky shoreline with many varieties of tall grass.  The backdrop of many shades of blue is a painter's canvas.

Mt. Victoria - Wellington and Miramar Peninsula

 

 

Took a bus tour of Mt. Victoria and the Miramar Peninsula on a beautiful sunny day.  The view was spectacular in all directions.  Wellington was on the west side and the Miramar Peninsula was in the east. Later in the week, I drove the complete route around the Peninsula to see the beautiful bays of Seatoun.

Rimutaka Hills - Following the Yellow Brick Road

Driving the Wine Trail to Martinborough takes you through the winding Rimutaka Hills.  I am not an experience driver in mountain ranges, particularly with heavy commercial trucks passing me left and right and tail gating me.  This is the only road in the upper hut to travel to Martinborough.  I looked for alternate routes and there are not any.  I had the pleasure of traveling over the Rimutaka Hills twice.  It gave me courage and you have no where to go except to follow the 'yellow brick road.' 

"The yellow brick road,
a journey into the unknown.
Courage, brains, and a heart.

All we need to do is tap the ruby slippers
to reveal who we truly are. "

Pakuratahi Forest

 

 

The Upper Hut was scenic with the wine trail, Kaitoke National Park and Rimutaka Hills.  The Pakuratahi Forest covers the western side of the Rimutaka ranges north of Upper Hutt and includes lands in the Kaitoke basin as well as the main Pakuratahi catchment. The road into the forest was very rough and had many pot holes.  It was not maintained and the forest had been burned in several areas. On the opposite side of the forest was a valley of rolling hills and pastures. Most parts of the forest are isolated, exposed to wind and rain and without cellphone coverage.  The road was too damaged for our car to continue so we could not venture very far into the camp ground and hiking areas.